Origin of Elves? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Aule · 06-04-2003, 06:55 AM

Many Elves in storys are small mischevious creatures rather than the noble and wise ones we see in Tolkiens works. They are more like Dobby the house elf from HP. This is the image many people not familiar with Tolkiens works have, and this really annoys me.
I want to be able to say my friends, that this idea of Dobby like elfs is wrong and only occurs in fairy tales. But i don't know if this would be true.
Where did Tolkiens vision of Elves come from, did they come from the Germanic, Finnish and Nordic Sagas he was so fond of. Or are they truely unique to him.

If this has already been answered could a kind person give me a link to it please

06-04-2003, 06:55 AM	#1
Aule Wight Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Hammering away in Valinor Posts: 126	Origin of Elves? Many Elves in storys are small mischevious creatures rather than the noble and wise ones we see in Tolkiens works. They are more like Dobby the house elf from HP. This is the image many people not familiar with Tolkiens works have, and this really annoys me. I want to be able to say my friends, that this idea of Dobby like elfs is wrong and only occurs in fairy tales. But i don't know if this would be true. Where did Tolkiens vision of Elves come from, did they come from the Germanic, Finnish and Nordic Sagas he was so fond of. Or are they truely unique to him. If this has already been answered could a kind person give me a link to it please __________________ For him that is pitiless, the deeds of pity are ever strange and beyond reckoning - of Melkor before his final downfall